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  1. note about planning document

    Associated Project(s): 

    Morgan White: I was thinking about the comprehensive energy planning document, and I'd like it if we could start compiling some of the goals and scope for the proposed document. To get us started, I'd say, we need to establish the capacity/capability of each of the energy solutions we are pursuing and the associated costs and carbon footprint impacts. What else do we need to include in this envisioned document?

    Andy Stumpf: Besides the energy solutions, we need to consider how it will be integrated into the campus system. For example, Mike Larsen has mentioned in the past that geothermal systems are most adaptable to buildings with hot/cold water lines, but their efficiency would increase if they are tied into district chilled water systems that service several buildings… so decentralize chilled water production. Do we also want to consider solutions that are in the experimental/perfecting phases or technologies that are not previously considered (e.g., advanced energy storage, stormwater/wastewater hydropower, etc.)?

  2. 12/4 Zero Waste SWATeam Meeting

    Attached are the meeting minutes and chat log of the Zero Waste SWATeam on 12/4/2020. 

    The following were discussed:

    • SSC Letter of Support for Illini Union Shadowbox Recycling project
    • Vermicomposting
    • Composting
    • NASEM Circular Economy Conference
    • Food Literacy Project
  3. Plan approvable pending adoption

    Good news to share regarding the status of the Champaign County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan dated November 17, 2020.

     

    On 11/24/2020, our FEMA reviewer signed off on revisions included in this version, finding the plan to be “Approvable Pending Adoption”.

     

  4. Presentation on SmartWay status with F&S Transportation

    Associated Project(s): 

    Sinead Soltis (F&S intern) presented an overview of the SmartWay Program to Dan Hiser of F&S Transportation & Automotive Services. Representing the department, Dan was very excited to be a part of this conversation and offered helpful suggestions for having a suscessful campus rollout. Adding the SmartWay logo to the keychains of the cars used for carpooling, along with adding it to his own signature were some of the many suggestions offered. We plan to also collaborate with F&S Transportation in the future to add the importance of our affiliate status in this program in the training for new employees within the department and throughout the whole campus staff.

    See the attached pdf for presentation slides. 

  5. Presentation on SmartWay status with members of the Illini Union

    Associated Project(s): 

    Sinead Soltis and Morgan White of F&S Sustainability presented an overview of the SmartWay Program to different members of the Illini Union staff. The meeting included: Dave Guth (Illini Union Director of Operations), Tod Petrie(Director of Illini Union Bookstore), Erik Riha (Illini Union Marketing Director), and Todd Moeglich (Illini Union Asst. Director for Procurement). An engaging discussion led to ideas of where the SmartWay program can be shared to staff members across the Illini Union, along with the importance of our affiliate status as a model to the community.

    See the attached pdf for presentation slides. 

  6. The Daily Illini: Students seek sustainability for single use masks

    Associated Project(s): 

    Students seek sustainability for single use masks

    A+group+of+students+wearing+masks+walks+down+Green+Street+on+Aug.+21.

    KENYON EDMOND

    A group of students wearing masks walks down Green Street on Aug. 21.

    BY CATHERINE PAVILIONIS, STAFF WRITER
    DECEMBER 3, 2020

     

    As the presence of the pandemic looms in everyone’s minds, the importance of wearing a mask continues to remain a key part of everyone’s day-to-day lives. With so many single-use options to choose from, however, it can be overwhelming to think about all of the waste that has been produced directly as a result of one-time-use masks.

    Shantanu Pai*, zero-waste coordinator for the Student Sustainability Committee, has been working closely with and helping Madalyn Liberman, senior in ACES, to navigate an idea she had to combat this issue.

    Liberman came across an article about a Vegas hotel recovering masks and said, ‘Can we try this?’ She ran with the idea. She connected to the hotel, reached out to ask what they did and how and then learned that TerraCycle was the vendor that they used.

    “She connected with TerraCycle, conducted a series of interviews with them and worked with our staff to figure out how we would begin,” Pai said.

    With the campus being so spread out, it was also important to reach out to as many buildings as possible in order to be able to offer this service to a greater community of students and faculty. The goal was to have at least two bins in the open space of each building.

     

    “We sent out a request early in the semester asking buildings if they’d want to be location sites and thirty-five agreed,” Pai said. “Then we prioritized to make sure that there was coverage across campus. Spatially, we’re pretty spread out.”

     

    However, due to a lack of foot traffic through many of these buildings and the resulting unfamiliarity with the recycling program being offered, the bins have not yet had much use.

    “We haven’t had anybody replace a bin so we’re not having a lot of use yet, which could mean one of two things,” Pai said. “It could mean that people don’t know (the bins) exist yet. The other thing is maybe people are using reusable masks and the idea is to promote it, and that’s what we’ve been working on— to get people to know that it exists.”

    In light of the difficult times everyone is facing as a result of the virus, the Student Sustainability Committee wants to make something as simple as recycling a used single-use mask at least a little easier for everyone while also encouraging those who
    hadn’t previously considered it to give it a try. There are so many opportunities to make a difference and help the campus community take one step closer to becoming zero-waste and the SSC hopes that this program will be one easy way for everyone to make a difference and possibly even get involved.

    “There’s a risk in recycling programs…” Pai said. “We have the idea that we want people to use more reusable masks, but life isn’t always convenient, and we want people to have a convenient choice.

     

    *Please note that Shantanu Pai is the Zero Waste Coordinator at Facilities & Services.

  7. 12/2 Transportation SWATeam Meeting

    Attached are the meeting minutes for the 12/2 Transportation SWATeam Meetings, as well as the Zoom chat file.

    Discussed were the following:

    • Telecommuting/Teleconferencing Policy and Commputer Program Intern 
    • EV Parking Department Dashboard Data
    • EV Task Force
  8. Solar Farm construction update for November 2020

    Associated Project(s): 

    F&S Management Engineer, Sushanth Girini, provided an update on the Solar Farm 2.0 construction progress.  One key point is that 65% of the panel installation is complete as of 11/23.

     

    Points regarding the progress: 

    • Currently the project is working on installing all the panels on the posts. As of Nov. 23, 2020, Sol Systems completed 258 out of 399 rows of panels, so approximately 65% of panel installation is complete.
    • The pads have been poured and all major equipment placed (inverters and transformers), currently working on wiring the whole network. The mechanical in service (construction complete without inspection & commissioning) date is Dec 16th 2020 as per current schedule.
    • Received all panels on site, racking equipment and all major equipment such as inverters and transformers, awaiting the switchgear delivery, which is due on 11/30.
    • Working with U of I's F&S Waste Management team to achieve a zero waste goal for this project by recycling all the boxes and other materials.
    • Every employee who works on site is checked for temperatures before entering the site as a safety precaution against covid-19.

    Thank you,

    Sushanth Girini

  9. Weekly Update: Slowest week financially, Closing appointment system, New working hours

    Associated Project(s): 

    All, Maybe the slowest week on record, financially-speaking, as we grossed $8. Hopefully not a preview of the rest of the semester…
    Before the break we did have a repeat visitor express interest in volunteering so there is some latent interest in our offerings.
    This week we will be closing down our appointment system in favor of our regular open hours offerings. Visits have not been frequent enough to warrant the extra trouble of an appointment system. We’ll be open M/W/F for the rest of the semester, barring any further mitigation efforts.
    We’ve got a few bikes from the warehouse to work on and they’ve already proven to be  good teaching candidates for my staff on things like the irreparable damage kickstands can so easily inflict. No one likes leaning their bike against a wall just-so but it beats having to replace it entirely
    Thanks!

    The numbers:
    Visitors:
    Sales: $8!

     

    Jacob Benjamin
    Campus Bike Center Manager

  10. Andrew Li will be getting an update for the small scale solar projects

    Associated Project(s): 

    Andrew Li, Halie Collins, and Morgan White met today to launch a student-led project to get an update for all the small scale solar projects on campus.  Andrew will be reaching out to the project contacts over the next few months to get a status update and associated photos, links, etc. for each project.  He will then update the iCAP Portal accordingly.

  11. Weekly Update: Daily Illini interview, CTAC, post-Thanksgiving programming

    Associated Project(s): 

    All, Last week I was interviewed for the Daily Illini  about the importance of bikes during a pandemic for health, safety, and exercise. No word on if they’re publishing the story.

     

    Last week, I was also present for the Active Transportation Advisory Committee on campus to discuss infrastructure and developments for bus riding, biking, and walking. Great to see and meet—virtually—so many University people involved in implementing and promoting safer and healthier ways to get around campus and the community.

    This week is business as usual: picking up bikes from the warehouse, staff meetings, and prepping for our post-Thanksgiving programming.

    Thanks!


    The numbers:


    Visitors: 10
    Sales: $99.50
    Memberships: 1 for $30

    Tire/tube: 4 for $30
    Misc: $34.50

    Jacob Benjamin
    Campus Bike Center Manager

  12. Engagement SWATeam Meeting

    The Engagement SWATeam members met on November 20 with Eric Green (Education SWATeam) to discuss first-year sustainability education recommendations. Topics discussed included working recommendations for a sustainability module in college 100-level courses, a mandatory sustainability training, and a sustainability general education requirement, all of which are currently being investigated by the Education SWATeam. Additionally, discussion of successful sustainability engagement principles led to a forming of two sub-teams to work towards recommendations within our committee:

    1) Led by co-chair Ann Witmer: Creating a roadmap of current sustainability-focused projects that are going on and connections we can utilize to make future recommendations more effective 

    2) Led by co-chair Robert McKim: Creating a sustainability 100 for individual colleges or one-size fits all model 

    Meeting minutes are also attached below.

  13. eweek announcement

    Associated Project(s): 

    CEOS Mini-Talks on the Economics of Sustainability

    Please join the Center for the Economics of Sustainability (CEOS) for its 2nd Mini-Talks webinar! Talks will focus on organic famland, conservation tillage, food waste, and consumer preferences with regards to local brewing and local hops. Register by November 30: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/122-mini-talks-on-the-economics-of-sustainability-tickets-129242601099. We hope to see you there!

    December 2, 12–1 pm

    Caroline Helton • Center for the Economics of Sustainability

  14. Education SWATeam Minutes 11/4/2020

    Associated Project(s): 

    Meeting minutes from the 11/4/2020 Education SWATeam meeting. The team was joined by Gretchen Forman of the Grainger College of Engineering Office of First Year Experience and Creen Ahmad from Illinois Student Government. Discussions focused on enriching the first-year student experience through sustainability education. Strategies to acheive this goal include sustainability education in orientation and 100-level courses. 

  15. 11/18 Transportation SWATeam Meeting

    Attached are the meeting minutes and chat from the Zero Waste SWATeam meeting on 11/18.

    Discussed were the following topics:

    • Establishing a telecommuting/teleconferencing policy.
    • Discussing working with an interdisciplinary health intern in IHR to tackle research/application of teleconferencing/telecommuting policy and commuter program.
    • Establishing an EV Task Force through the Parking Department to re-assess campus EV needs.
  16. Energy SWATeam Meeting Minutes from 11-17-20

    On November 17th, the Energy iCAP Team met to discuss student, staff, and chair priorities for forming new recommendations. The team decided on starting to develop three different recommendations in the future:

    (1) Requiring campus buildings to comply with state Energy Code Compliance;

    (2) Encouraging labs on campus to save energy;

    (3) Educating students in residence halls about reducing energy consumption.

    Agenda, meeting minutes, and chat log are attached.

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